


what one wears

by whythursdaynext



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Mini Fic, i don't know what you mean bad things are happening in canon, nothing but fluff here, perc'halia festival of happiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-28
Updated: 2016-09-28
Packaged: 2018-08-18 06:43:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8152676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whythursdaynext/pseuds/whythursdaynext
Summary: Percy knows Vex is ready to be introduced formally as the Grandmistress of the Grey Hunt. Vex still panics.





	

**Author's Note:**

> for iunia-kallistrate for the Perc'halia Festival of Happiness, who prompted Vex's first ball with a title (I technically cheated the tiniest bit.)

Lady Vex’ahlia, Baroness of the Third House of Whitestone, Grandmistress of the Grey Hunt, stood in the doorway of her rooms at the brand-new Manor of Vox Machina, wearing a floor length sheer lace neckline burgundy gown and a frown. 

“Vex dear,” Percy said, stretched out on the bed in full formal attire. “If my memory serves- and it generally does- this is the sixth gown you’ve exhibited for me in the past hour. Not that I don’t enjoy this… process, but you’re going to be late for your own party.”

Vex sighed. “Not this one either,” she said, walking towards her wardrobe, undoing the buttons she could reach on her back. “Percy, would you?” 

Percy pushed himself up to sitting. “Really Vex, I thought that the dress you showed me two days ago was lovely-” 

Vex whirled around to glare at him. 

“-but I’ll come help you take this one off, of course,” Percy muttered, and went over and started undoing buttons. 

Vex pushed hangers around in the wardrobe with far more vigor than was probably necessary. Percy sighed, and stopped halfway down her back. “Vex, why are you so nervous about tonight? This is probably the tenth ball you’ve attended since the world calmed down again.” 

Vex paused, the hangers swinging slowly back to stillness as the muscles in her shoulders tightened, which he could very well see with the back of her dress undone.

“What do you mean, nervous?” Vex finally asked, the sharpness in her voice too much like her voice in Syngorn had been. 

Percy reached out carefully and pulled her to him, trying to comfort without inciting another flare of temper. “Vex, you are worthy of this title, and this event, and all those here will be spending the evening gaining the courage to speak to you.” 

She sighed, and he thought about asking her to be truly late, so he could slip this dress off of her, watch the lace and silk slide off her body, skin still soft even while weather-worn, the curve of-

“You really liked the other dress?” Vex said, turning just enough to look at him without leaving his arms. There was a spark of doubt in her eyes. 

“My dear,” Percy said, abandoning his fantasy for the evening. “The dress you wear should seem inconsequential to your presence. It’s something my mother used to say.” 

Vex looked down at the mention of his mother, but replied casually, “Then what presence would your mother advice for someone such as myself? I have middling posture, and no noble graces with which to carry myself.” 

Percy smiled. “I don’t know if she would know how to handle this, but I know who you are. You are Vex’ahlia of Vox Machina, brave archer, who fought the Chroma Conclave and many others besides. You’ve traveled the world, proven equal to kings and rules and the chosen of deities. You tamed your own bear. You are by and far the most interesting person in the room.”

Vex smiled up at him through her tears. 

“And if nothing else,” Percy continued wryly, “You now have enough money for them to bow and scrape for you. If someone looks at you funny, kick them out. After all, it’s your house.” 

Her smiled brightened at that. “It is, isn’t it?” And then suddenly her grin turned mischievous. 

“I never did thank you, did I?” 

Percy frowned. “I mean I do remember you thanking me, multiple times, both when it was granted, and after the fact, and as this house was being built-” 

Vex pushed herself up to her toes and kissed him, breaking off his train of reminiscence. “Thank you, Percy. For everything.” 

He blushed. “It was really nothing, Vex’ahlia.” 

She patted his cheek and whirled back to her wardrobe. “Now, hurry up and finish undoing my buttons, I still want to switch gowns. I have a ball to attend.” 

Percy shook his head, and put his tinkerer’s careful hands to work undoing the last of the buttons, beginning to plan how to put them to work much more intimately when the evening was over. 


End file.
